French Teen's HIV Infection Under Control For 12 Years, Even Without Drugs

French Teen's HIV Infection Under Control For 12 Years, Even Without Drugs

An 18-year-old French teen born with the AIDS virus has had her infection under control and nearly undetectable despite stopping treatment 12 years ago — an unprecedented remission, doctors are reporting.

The teen might have some form of natural resistance to HIV that hasn't yet been discovered. But her case revives hope that early, aggressive treatment can limit how strongly the virus takes hold, and perhaps in rare cases, let people control it without lifelong drugs.